Anywhere But Here
by StarGazer95
Summary: They always told Carlos that he shouldn't be so trusting. But then he found her, alone and cold, and he couldn't help but try and help her. She showed him the darker parts, and he broke her walls down While she was his darkness. He was her light.
1. She's Like The Wind

**_I'm Baaack! For now at least! And randomly I came up with this idea while watching Carlos PenaVega in Dancing With The Stars :)_**

 ** _For all of my Power Ranger fanfiction fans: DON'T HATE ME! I'm going to get to them this week! Tomorrow hopefully! Or even tonight! I started my sophomore year of school and the first few weeks I had hit a major slump and wasn't doing well in ANY of my classes. So I had to ditch some things and try again. But tomorrow through this weekend I am going to start writing a bit. It might only be a few chapters, but it'll be enough_**

 ** _For all of my Descendants fans as well: I'm going to be getting to Not So Long Ago. As well. But the explanation with my others, is the same explanation as well_**

 _This story is set sort of in the series, but after the boys became super famous and went their own way. I wanted to keep with the show but still have some more adult content with it to show they had grown up. So don't be mad that it's not during the show or anything like that. Just go with it._

 _Onward!_

* * *

 _They always told Carlos to be careful. They couldn't always be there for him. They wanted to know that wherever they left him, he would know not to be so trusting, and to take care of himself. But they were so wrong._

California never really got cold in the winters, the lowest it usually got was maybe in the low forties. But with the sun not showing its face for two long weeks and the wind picking up every day and through the night, California was cold.

That didn't stop Carlos Garcia, however. Actually, that didn't stop him or his three friends, from enjoying their life in California. Ever since Big Time Rush finally got their big break and had a world tour, everything had changed, but the boys were still brothers, and they enjoyed their times together.

James Diamond had went on to be a model and having roles in big movies. His music was still a part of his life, and he always stayed grounded. Logan Mitchell had let his music career go. He hadn't forgotten, but his dream was to be a doctor, and after many essays and applications, he got into a great University and started his career on to being a doctor. Kendall still played, but he had been recruited by California's hockey team, and he was now a part of the big league, doing something he dreamed of. All of them were doing something they dreamed of.

Carlos, however, had yet to find his calling.

He was still playing music and singing his heart out, and he had the money to take care of himself, but ever since the boys went their own way, Carlos had felt alone and left out. They weren't there anymore to make up wild plots and try to get in trouble and then get out of trouble. They had grown up, they had went their own ways, and Carlos had no one.

* * *

"Sydney! Dang it! Sydney, girl! Where are you?!" Carlos shouted down the street of his neighborhood. It was cold, and he had just been taking his dog, Sydney on her walk before they went in for the night, and she happened to slip her leash and go tearing on down the street. He cursed and sighed, rubbing his hands together and watching his breath puff out in white clouds, looking down the streets and alleys trying to find his dog.

He heard a bark and turned down a small side street. The shops were closed for the night, Halloween decorations across the doors to show the festivities of October. The town Carlos had decided to relax in was more than what he wanted. It reminded him of home, with the small, nice stores, and friendly people. Everyone knew his name but they didn't bombard him because he was famous, and didn't ask him for favors to become famous. It was just what he had wanted with his life.

"Sydney!" The German Shepard perked up at her name, jumping down from the person she was next to and moving to sit down. Carlos jogged down the street toward the dog, who knew better than to try and run this time. Carlos quickly moved to the dog, clipping the leash back onto her collar and making sure the leash was tight around his arm. "I'm sorry if she startled you. She's harmless. She looks vicious, but she's not." He said, not even looking up at the person's face. As soon as his eyes met the stormy gray eyes in front of him, he had stopped.

The girl in front of him stood stoic, not really paying attention to what he was saying. Long, dark brown hair fell over her face in messy curls as if she hadn't showered in a few days, which could be seen by the dirt on her face. But it wasn't the dirty, torn, really thing clothes that he was drawn to, or how thin and sickly she looked right as he stood there.

It was the dark purple circle under her eye, partially hidden by the hood she was wearing to block the cold from her red, wind-whipped cheeks. Sydney barked and wagged her tail where she sat, breaking Carlos' trance and startling the girl.

"S-she's fine. J-j-just startled m-me." She stammered quickly, clearly uncomfortable with the boy in front of her. She hugged the old messenger bag to her chest, shivering as the wind caught them once more, letting them know how cold it was getting as the sun was setting. She immediately turned to move away.

"Hey! Wait!" She stopped, and Carlos bit his lip. He hadn't meant to startle her. "I-it's too cold to be out here, alone. Do you have a place to stay?" He asked her before his mind could even catch up. He didn't know her. She could be faking all of this and meaning to hurt him. But something just struck him about her. She didn't look like she was going to hurt anyone.

She turned back to face him, swallowing thickly against the roughness of her throat. Her eyes were wide and scared, stormy as the sky was. Carlos watched her patiently, and Sydney whined beside him. Slowly, she shook her head.

She was homeless.

Carlos felt his heart break, looking at her and knowing she had been through so much. He didn't know, and he wasn't going to ask. So, he did what he knew he shouldn't do. He turned and stood,waiting. "Come on."

"I-I-I c-can't."

Carlos shook his head, before beckoning again.

"Y-You don't k-know me."

He shook his head again. She needed a home right at the moment. He took a few steps ahead, and as soon as he heard her light footsteps fall in beside him, he relaxed.

* * *

It didn't take long before they were at his two story home in the neighborhood. It was big, too big and too lonely for him, but it was home. He unlocked the door and turned to look at her, before smiling. One of his genuine Carlos Garcia smiles. "Come on." He said and held the door open for her, letting her slowly walk in. He flicked the hall light on and unclipped Sydney from her leash, hanging his coat up on the rack beside the hall along with the leash.

"Go on, make yourself comfortable." He said to her, watching her wide eyes staring around the house. Carlos chuckled, before looking at her. He was going to offer to take her hoodie, but she seemed very skittish, so he left it.

"Do you like hot chocolate?" He asked her as she slid into the living room and he walked to the adjacent kitchen, being able to see her through the small cut out in the wall. She walked into the living room, slowly moving to sit on the sectional. She sunk in and he couldn't help but chuckle once more as he set to making her something to eat. He watched her as she pulled the hood off of her head, showing him how dirty and long her hair was.

How long had she been out there?

It didn't take long before he was bringing her a cup of hot chocolate and a few s'mores he made in the microwave. He put the plate and cup on the coffee table in front of her and moved to the gas fireplace, lighting it up to bring more warmth. Sydney had settled in her spot on the other couch and he sat on the chair, looking at her. And he could tell, she had been through Hell. Not only was there the sickly bruise, but there was a long faint scar that started at her left temple and lead down her cheek. She sipped the hot chocolate, eyes scanning the house and then watching Carlos. They sat in silence, not speaking.

"W-why are you doing this? Y-You don't even know me?" He turned when she spoke, the chattering of her teeth died down as she warmed up. He looked at her. She was still tense, he could definitely tell.

"Because I'm not going to walk past someone who needs help. I know you probably don't want it, and I know you're probably thinking I'm stupid for letting a complete stranger into my house." He explained and she couldn't help but smile, looking down. He hadn't seen her smile till now.

* * *

They didn't talk much. Just let everything go and let her settle down. He walked her upstairs. "There's the bathroom, and here you can sleep for the night." He said and slipped into his room for a moment. Walking over to his dresser, he shuffled through his clothes, pulling out a pair of old sweats and a t-shirt, before walking back over to her.

"I know it's not really what you want. And I don't have any lady undergarments either. . ." He started and it was his time to blush. She giggled.

He hadn't heard her giggle. It was like bells chiming.

"If you want to leave your clothes in the hall way, anything. I can wash it for you." He offered her, letting her take the clothes. "Anything you need is in the bathroom. Extra towels.. . I'll leave you alone for the night then. Get some rest." He explained and stepped out of the bathroom. She turned in the doorway.

"Thank you"

He smiled and nodded, before walking down the hall. "I'll be down the hall if you need anything. Don't be afraid." Yeah, he knew he shouldn't trust her. She was a complete stranger.

And yet he felt like he had known her for so long.

He went into his room and took a shower. As he walked out to check on the house, her clothes laid in a pile in the hall. She had trusted him enough. He smiled, scooping up the dirty and ragged clothes, there were two sets, that's all she had. He walked down and started washing them, before heading back to bed. He would let her get her rest, she deserved it. She was still in the shower when he walked back up, and he faltered, before walking into the room.

He didn't touch her things, but he put two one hundred dollar bills on the bedside table. He had plenty to go around.

He couldn't believe what he had done

And surprisingly. He didn't care.

* * *

He sighed when he heard Sydney whining against the bed next to him in the morning. He yawned. "Alright, girl. Hold up." he said and yawned once more, before slowly shuffling out and down stairs. He let the dog out and rubbed his eyes, before reality set in.

Walking back upstairs, he peered into the guest room. The bed was made back, crisp and clean, and the money he had left was still sitting on the bedside table.

He walked downstairs. The washer and dryer were off, and everything was still in tact and where it was suppose to be.

She was gone. Gone like the wind.

And Carlos didn't even get a chance to get her name.


	2. What Are You Waiting For?

"Carlos, how could you be so stupid?"

Carlos rolled his eyes, head propped on his arm where he sat, staring out the window as Logan criticized him once more for what he had done. It didn't matter. He didn't regret it, not one bit. What he did for that girl, whatever name was, was the most genius thing he did, ever. True, he wished he could have seen her once more, but at least one night got her somewhere better. At least he hoped.

"It was one night, Logan. It's not like she's still there." Kendall told him, leaning back and staring at his friend. Logan scoffed, rolling his eyes. "She could have been some kind of serial killer, and now she knows where you live and what's in your house. . ." The dark haired boy stammered.

"Look, Loges. It was a one night thing. She didn't steal anything, she left everything and even cleaned up. And she was gone and hasn't come back. He's not dead, there's nothing missing. Just drop it." Kendall tried to calm the other boy down. Yeah it was a stupid idea, but nothing was missing, everything was fine.

Logan rolled his eyes, running a hand through his hair. "It could have been a whole lot worse." He mumbled.

"I'm surprised he didn't get her number. Or even try to make a move on her." James finally spoke up, playing with the scarf around his neck. Carlos looked up at him in disbelief. Only he would think he should try to sleep with the poor girl.

"Really? Sex is on your mind? And not your best friend's safety?" Logan snapped. James shrugged and leaned back in the booth seat.

"Well if she was pretty enough. It would have been totally worth it."

"You're a pig, James." Kendall joked, chuckling.

"A handsome pig." He joked right back. "So why didn't you try?" He asked Carlos and he just sighed angrily.

"Look, she was hurt alright? Someone had hurt her and just thrown her on the street!" He exclaimed, shutting the three boys up. "Someone had hit her across the face. She had a black eye that had to have been recent. She had two sets of clothes, one that was on her body. She was thin, and she was scared of anything. She needed help, so I gave it to her." The three boys stared at him, confused.

"Why didn't you take her to a shelter or something?" Logan finally piped up and Carlos groaned.

"I wasn't thinking at the moment, alright? It was dark and she looked ready to pass out. So I just did what I thought was better for her. Brought her where it was warm and safe." He ran a hand through his hair. "And no, James. I was not going to try and make a move on her. Sheesh, she was terrified. I wasn't going to scar her even more." He added and James sighed.

"Look, we're sorry. You just need to be careful Carlos. People aren't always what they say they are, or even look." Kendall added and Carlos groaned again, before grabbing his keys and wallet. "I did what I was though was best at the moment. I'm sorry if that's not what you think was right." He mumbled. "I'll call you guys later." He said and slid out of the booth, leaving the restaurant.

* * *

The light jingling of a bell on the door alerted the coffee shop of the newcomer. Carlos pushed the door open and smiled as the smell of coffee and food cooking alerted his senses and made his stomach growl even worse. He had been at the studio all day with Gustavo and Kelly, and he was just ready to head home and sleep for three days. But he wanted to come by, get some food.

"Ah Carlos! So good to see you!" Carlos smiled at Ruth, the elderly lady that owned the coffee shop walked up to him. He visited daily, and she lived two doors down from him. He was always there to help her when her son and his wife couldn't.

"Good afternoon, Ruth. I see your grandsons had fun decorating for Halloween." He said with a laugh and Ruth laughed along, nodding at the fake spider webs and green and orange lights around her store. She had two grandsons and a granddaughter, and they loved to tackle Carlos whenever he came in. Carlos was great with kids, what more could you possible want.

"I may need your help decorating my house for Halloween, is that alright? I can pay you." Ruth offered. Carlos chuckled.

"I would love to, but I don't need to be paid, Ruth. I'll do it for free." He said and the woman hugged him tightly. Carlos smiled.

"Go, enjoy yourself. Oh and I have a new employee. She's very sweet. You should talk to her." Ruth added and chuckled, before walking into the back. Carlos rolled his eyes and headed toward the cash register once the line had gone down.

"Hi, can I help you?"

Carlos stopped. He knew that voice, anywhere. He turned to stare into stormy gray eyes and he couldn't help but smile. She seemed to remember him as well, as a smile split across her face.

"So you found yourself a job?" The words stumbled out of his mouth, and she couldn't help but giggle.

"Yeah. And I want to thank you for that. I guess a shower and clean clothes helps out with interviews." She said and blushed. Carlos chuckled, before turning to look at the line that had formed.

"What time do you get off?" He asked.

"In fifteen minutes, why?" She asked, confused.

"And what's your favorite items here?"

"The grilled ham and cheese and iced tea?"

"Good, then in fifteen minutes, I want two of each of those, to share with you." He flashed one of his famous Carlos Garcia smiles. She felt her blush creep up brightly across her pale cheeks and looked down, before nodding. After paying for their food, he moved to sit and wait.

* * *

He leaned back and waited in the small booth next to the window. His favorite, because he could look out and watch whatever he wanted to. Two plates and drinks where suddenly in front of him, and he looked up at the beautiful girl in front of him. She smiled and slid into the booth across from him, obviously nervous. The bruise on her eye had since cleared up, but there was a faint blue to it. He was just happy to see her look a bit better than he had seen her before.

"L-Look. I wanted to thank you, but I could have paid for my own food." She stammered.

He shook his head. "Save it. You're going to need it. . " He still didn't know her name. "I'm going to start calling you Cinderella unless I know your name." He joked and she giggled, pulling back from her sandwich and wiping her mouth with a napkin.

"Amara. My name's Amara." She finally said and smiled. Carlos nodded. Amara. Her name just fit her beauty perfectly. "Well, Amara. I'm Carlos. It's very nice to meet you." He said and she grinned. "It's very nice to meet you." She said and smiled.

There was silence as the two ate, before he looked up. "How long have you been on the streets, if you don't mind me asking?" Amara looked at him, pushing her hair from her face.

"A few weeks. It's a long story."

"Are you staying anywhere now?" At that, Amara looked down, pushing her hair from her face once more. "Um. . No, not really. Ruth gave me a key because she trusts me so much. And when I close up, I usually sleep on the floor to get out of the cold. . ." She was terrified. Terrified he would tell Ruth. She needed a home.

Carlos shook his head. "I won't tell." He whispered and she sighed in relief, terrified. "But the floor of a bakery is not a good place to sleep." He added and she looked at him.

"N-No. Carlos. I couldn't. The one time was enough but . . . ." She started.

"Look, you need a place to stay. A place that's safe and warm and this isn't going to cut it. You need a bed and clothes. I've got all that, and I have plenty of room, okay? Just until you get another leg up in the world." He explained to her, trying to persuade her. She needed this. She watched as she chewed her lip, a blush across her face.

Carlos thought she had never looked more beautiful.

After a few silent moments, she sighed. "Okay, fine. But I really owe you Carlos. You saved my life." She said softly. Carlos silently cheered, winning this battle. "Anything you need okay? I can help you." He said and she smiled.

"Thank you Carlos." She whispered and he shrugged it off. It was all he could do for her.

* * *

"You got some new clothes."

Carlos stood there in the guest room, watching Amara as she tried to make herself at home without feeling like she was intruding. She looked at the old blue dress in her hands. "Yeah well. I had some money and needed more, so I went down to the thrift store." She said, putting the dress on a hanger and closing the closet. Sydney laid beside the door, watching the new roommate with interested eyes.

He wanted to help her, but she seemed very protective of her items, so he left it alone. He moved to sit on her bed, and two books fell out of a bag, plopping on the ground and scattering pictures around. He immediately moved to scoop them up and put them up, seeing one journal full of writing, another full of pictures. Before he knew it, she had snatched it from his hands, looking at him, before moving and putting them in the bedside table.

"You write? And draw?" he asked. Amara smiled at him and nodded. "I love the arts. I love to draw and paint and write. That's what I wanted to before. . ." She stopped.

"Before what?" He pressed on, but she shook her head. He let the matter drop. But he knew now what to get her as a welcoming present.

Once she had finished getting things cleaned up, he stood up, looking at her, before handing her the silver key attached to a purple heart chain. Amara smiled, taking the key. This smile was serious, everything he wanted to see.

"Welcome home, Amara." He said, before he stumbled, the girl's arms going around his waist and burying her head in his chest. He laughed, wrapping his arms around her back. "You're welcome." He said softly and smiled at her. He just wanted to hold her, but he let her pull her back.

She smiled and looked down, before following him downstairs to eat.

What were they waiting for?


End file.
